World How the Soviets shocked the world by launching Yuri Gagarin as the first man into space April 9, 2021staff videoComments Off on How the Soviets shocked the world by launching Yuri Gagarin as the first man into space On April 12, 1960, Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to fly into space, which ratcheted up the space race during the Cold War.